NSW break drought with thumping win over WA

NSW captain Moises Henriques says he felt an overriding sense of relief after the Blues bagged their first Marsh Sheffield Shield win in 625 days with a shock 10-wicket victory over Western Australia.

Dominant throughout, NSW were able to wrap-up victory before lunch on day three after Cameron Bancroft's fighting 54 helped WA to 136 in their second innings.

That left NSW needing two runs in the fourth innings to claim victory at the SCG and end the leanest patch in the state's 131-year history.

"It's definitely a huge relief," Henriques said.

"Our preparation through pre-season and coming into this year has been magnificent. I've seen a lot of the players grow in confidence.

"It's really important to get a result, put a line under it and give the guys a little bit of a reward. Otherwise that doubt starts to set in again."

The result is easily one of the competition's biggest shocks in recent memory.

NSW had not won a game in the four-day format since February 2022, enduring their worst winless run in the 15 games that followed.

WA had been beaten only twice in that time, winning back-to-back Sheffield Shield finals along the way.

The victory follows just days after the Blues ended Western Australia's 12-match winning streak in domestic cricket's 50-over competition, with a shock three-wicket victory on Saturday.

"We've shown we can match it and beat the reigning premiers in both competitions," Henriques said.

"We don't get carried away, it's one Shield win. But I'm hopeful that's the first of many over the next however long into the future.

"We've got two more Shield games before the (Big Bash League) break. We win one, maybe two, of those and we're right back in the hunt."

NSW's back-to-back success was built on the young and old.

Oliver Davies was instrumental in securing the win in the 50-over competition on the weekend and backed up with his maiden first-class century on Tuesday.

Recalled after being left out for the start of the season, Davies' 129 from 143 balls took the game away from WA on day two of the Shield fixture.

The 23-year-old was one of the few batsmen to really get in on a lively SCG pitch: WA were all out for 141 on day one before the Blues were dismissed for 276.

Veteran Chris Tremain did the work with the ball, following his 2-23 in WA's first innings with 5-35 in their second.

The 32-year-old seamer ripped through WA's top order on the second afternoon and evening, at one stage having figures of 5-7 as the visitors fell to 6-34.

Bancroft provided the only real resistance, aiding his Test cause with his 54 following his first-innings top score of 34.

His time at the crease at least saved WA from the embarrassment of an innings defeat within two days, with coach Adam Voges again pushing Bancroft's national selection case considering the struggles of other batters in the match.

"People who watch the game closely would understand that," Voges said.

"Tremain's new-ball spell was excellent yesterday afternoon, and for (Bancroft) to get through that is an art in itself."

Sheffield Shield 2023-24 standings

Team	Matches played M	Wins W	Losses L	Drawn D	No results N/R	Deductions Ded.	Batting Bonus Bat	Bowling Bonus Bowl	Total points PTS
1 Western Australia Men WA	10	5	2	3	0	0	5.53	9.4	47.93
2 Tasmanian Tigers Men TAS	10	5	2	3	0	0	6.06	8.3	47.36
3 NSW Men NSW	10	4	3	3	0	0	6.31	9	42.31
4 Victoria Men VIC	10	4	4	2	0	0	4.74	8.2	38.94
5 South Australia Men SA	10	3	6	1	0	0	5.19	9.3	33.49
6 Queensland Bulls QLD	10	2	6	2	0	0	3.54	8.3	25.84

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

D: Drawn

N/R: No results

Ded.: Deductions

Bat: Batting Bonus

Bowl: Bowling Bonus

PTS: Total points